Fraud Alert:  In addition to ongoing Craigs List scams whereby for-sale property information is copied from Realtor.com and then illegally listed for rent instead (deposits are stolen...alert Craigs list immediately if this happens and they pull the ad) there is a new nationwide scam that has stolen money directly from real estate agent's escrow accounts. 

Read what's going on directly from NAR legal... you'll need to sign into Realtor.org to access this information

Effective July 1, 2010, homeowners must upgrade their oil tank supply line to prevent undiscovered leaks. There are two manners of upgrade; an oil safety valve on the tank or a protective sleeve that encases the actual oil line from tank to burner. Since all homeowners (not just those transfering title) must comply with this new regulation, you'll start to see Home Inspectors identify this issue during their inspection and Fire Inspectors check when issuing a smoke/carbon certificate.

This regulation applies to 1-4 family homes heated with oil, unless the burner and entire supply line is located above the oil tank. Homeowners conforming with this new regulation will also be able to purchase insurance coverage for oil leaks (typically not covered), as mandated by the regulation. For more information, please see Mass DEP guidance

NAR's Green Designation is a real estate designation designed for residential, commercial and property management professionals looking to green their businesses and their lives. It is also the only green designation for agents AND property managers recognized by the National Association of REALTORS®.When you earn NAR's Green Designation, you'll gain:

• A comprehensive understanding of what it means to go green and the concerns of consumers seeking green knowledge about real estate
• Valuable real estate education that broadens your abilities in the eyes your clients, prospective clients and associates
• Enhanced ability to participate in the green real estate market
• Ongoing specialized training and resources that help you stay on top of green real estate issues and trends
• Access to customizable members-only marketing tools to help you build your business and gain a competitive edge

What we're offering?

This is the required core course needed to obtain Green Designation. It is completiely priced at $295 for the full two day program. Course Outline

To earn NAR's Green Designation, you must achieve the following:

• Successfully complete this 2-day Green Desigantion Core Course
• Within one year, successfully complete the Online Green Designation Elective Course, in either Residential Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate, or Property Management, and pass the written examination. (cost $125 for online elective course)
• Submit the Green Designation Application Form upon successful completion of the Core Course and at least one Elective Course.
• Maintain active membership in the National Association of REALTORS®.

Maintaining this Desgination beyond the first 12 months:

Annual membership dues for the Green REsource Council are $99.00 ($US), billed in advanced on a calendar-year basis. There is no cost for your initial membership dues with the application. Your completion of NAR’s Green Designation Core Course covers the first twelve months of membership. Your dues for the next calendar year will be due one year from you Core Course completion date and will be prorated to reflect the number of months remaining after the first 12-month period. You must maintain active membership in the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and the Green REsource Council to retain and use NAR’s Green Designation.

Auction 101:  This course will cover all facets of hosting or interacting with a real estate auction, including the various types, absolute and reserve bids, dutch high-low and online

Smart Growth/Smart Energy:  This is a course designed to introduce real estate professionals to the various concepts included in the Massachusetts Smart Growth/Smart Energy initiative.

Title V:  Everything a Massachusetts REALTOR® needs to know about septic systems in the sale of properties that are not serviced by municipal water. 

ADA: This course covers the details of the American's with Disabilities Act in depth and examines public accommodation and building requirements.

Architecture: Scan through the list of possible property types and you might be caught unaware… Berkshire County does not just consist of capes and ranches.  What’s a Greek revival? The difference between a bungalow or cottage? Learn all about it here.

Zoning & Building Codes: We all know the building permitting process, but this course digs deeper to uncover zoning procedures, egress systems, fire protection, repairs, liens, sanitary code and all you’ll ever need to know to help your clients go from sale to sold!

Armed services members, as well as intelligence service and foreign service personnel, who are on active duty and out of the U.S. for 90 days during any part of 2009, get an additional year to buy their homes, to May 1, 2011. Another benefit is a waiver on the time of occupancy of the home purchased with the tax credit. Homebuyers who purchase their home using the tax credit must use that home as a principal residence for a period of no fewer than three years, or must forfeit the entire credit. Military, intelligence and foreign service members do not have to repay the credit if they have to sell their home after fewer than three years occupancy due to official business.

Realtor Membership Renewal

Ah yes, it's that time again... annual renewal of your REALTOR® membership. While local and national dues have stayed the same, Massachusetts dues have increased by $9 for 2010. The breakdown is as follows:

The Board held a Short Sale / Foreclosure Breakfast Forum on August 8th and distributed quite of bit a helpful information for REALTORS dealing with short sales and foreclosures. We have included all of the materials provided here as well.

Short Sale / Foreclosure Documents: The Short Sale Workflow Report by NAR, the LMC Sample Authorization for Realtors to interact with Bank, Sample Exclusive Right to Sell and Purchase and Sale language, and more. (870k pdf)

Also worth noting are the changes made to our MLS Rules and Regulation regarding the disclsoure of short sales. See below for the additions made to help clarify the process of disclosing the short sale possibility in the MLS listing information.

Section 5. Nothing in these MLS rules precludes a listing participant and a cooperating participant, as a matter of mutual agreement, from modifying the cooperative compensation to be paid in the event of a successful transaction.

NEW: Section 5.0.1: Participants may, but are not required to, disclose potential short sales to other participants and subscribers. When disclosed, participants may, at their discretion, advise other participants whether and how any reduction in the gross commission established in the listing contract, required by the lender as a condition of approving the sale, will be apportioned between listing and cooperating participants.

NEW 6. Multiple Listing Services must give participants the ability to disclose to other participants any potential for a short sale. As used in these rules, short sales are defined as a transaction where title transfers; where the sale price is insufficient to pay the total of all liens and costs of sale; and where the seller does not bring sufficient liquid assets to the closing to cure all deficiencies. Multiple Listing Services may, as a matter of local discretion, require participants to disclose potential short sales when participants know a transaction is a potential short sale. In any instance where a participant discloses a potential short sale, they must also be permitted to communicate to other participants how any reduction in the gross commission established in the listing contract required by the lender as a condition of approving the sale will be apportioned between listing and cooperating participants. All confidential disclosures and confidential information related to short sales must be communicated through dedicated fields or confidential “remarks” available only to participants and subscribers

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